Minutes 04/26/1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MONDAY. APRII, 26, 1999 employees, and then proceeded to review significant changes in the budgets for departments within the General Fund. Mr. Reynolds read his report in its entirety and noted that more detailed discussion of the various areas of the budget would come later. He also pointed out that information on a survey related to the market-based Pay Plan and bids on Health Care Insurance were not yet available, but would be provided as they were received. Council Member Dallas then stated that it was his hope that Council would be able to give the City employees an across-the-board pay increase of at least 3.5% in the coming fiscal year. Mr. Reynolds suggested that Council wait to receive the results of the pay plan survey and then consider what compensation improvements would be appropriate. Council Member Haskell then stated her desire to see improvement in the General Fund balance, and asked what the proposed budget would accomplish in this regard. Vice-Mayor Teague asked if the work sheet on revenues, expenditures ahd fund balances provided Council in previous years would be available this year, and was told that these could be provided. Mr. Reynolds then presented a proposal for the use ofthe $1.6 million in funds recently received by the City from American Electric Power for reimbursement of overpayment for purchased power. He proposed that $1 million of these funds be used to improve the General Fund by elimination of the deficit figures in the Prison Fund and the Street Paving Fund. He then proposed that $220,000 be used to provide a consumer rebate check to electric utility customers, and that $387,000 be used to fund street improvements related to the Albert Harris School Project. Council Member Dallas stated that he felt the utility rebate was a good idea. Council Member Roop stated that he would like to see the City conserve these funds as much as possible, and get back to providing good basic services as opposed to grand projects. Mayor Crabtree pointed out that a lot of information had been received in the presentation, and that Council would now need to carefully review the details of that information throughout their budget deliberations. Mr. Reynolds also noted that Council would be provided a proposed list of Capital expenditures to consider. Council Member Haskell then asked if anything could be done to establish a loan program for housing developers, to stimulate improvement in the housing stock. Mr. Reynolds stated that a concept was being developed by staff that would provide incentive to developers through having the City construct development streets, curb and gutter in advance of subdivision housing construction, and have the City receive reimbursement